The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-10-18
WHITE SLAVES IN WAII.

A Remarkable Story of Enforced Servftude
Sugar Plantations.
Los Angeles lines.
H. Benedict. waiter in Main-street restau-
rant. only reached this city short time ago. He
has Just escaped from life of slavery that is.
according to his story, hundred times more
severe in every respect than were the old slavery
DAYS before the Learning of this fact, a
reporter looked him up and drew the following
statement, which was told in a straightforward
manner that cannot be disbeleved:
Almost six wears ago." Mr. Benedict began,
Il was a waiter IN San Francisco restaurant,
when was taken sick, and the doctor who at
tended me told me that l would have to get
away from San Francisco unless / wanted to
die of consum ption. The first day that / was
able to be ont walked down to the water front
and was watching the ships DISCHARGE when a
stranger approached and asked to take a
walk. After having little conversation with
me he learned that wished to leave the city,
and he told me that he WAS friendly with q
number of people In Honolulu, and that he
was confident that could get work
l reached the islands He told me that he repre-
sented certain firm. and was confident that
could get free passage to the islands if / would
go. met him the next day. and he informed
me that he had secured thirteen others who
would go. and he introduced me to several of
them. They all thought 1t good chance to GET
out of California for while, and l consented to
go. We sailed on schooner under a man named
Myers and were treated like regular passengers
easiness, when Captain Myers came around one
day with big blank book in his hands He
asked Us our true names. place of birth. age,
and what occupation we had followed
I'VE thought it very strange proceedings but
said nothing. although were greatly troubled.
When We reached the islands we did not go into
port, but stopped outside. A steam launch was
soon alongside, and man who represented
himself to be doctor came aboard. He AID the
captain were closeted for quite a while, whom
the doctor came aft and gave each one of us a
medical examination. The captain and doctor
then left the ship, and a few hours after
weighed anchor and for two days we were sail
Vtp CV,a Tu1n. IL
landed at large sugar planta-
ton and given to understand that
we were to work in the field.
We learned the next day that the plant alton was
owned by two men who were considered the
hardest task masters on the islands. We
told that we had been employed through the
captain and that we were to get $50 month
each. We hesitated about going to work at
first. but the foreman talked very nice Co US,
and after we had worked month went to
the roremans Office to draw our pay. Here We
were Mortified to learn that we bad been sold to
the sugar planters slaves for much head;
that it would take just three
every day. We were credited with twenty
five cents a day when we worked, and
when we were too sick to work they charged us
40 cents day for board. They paid so much
for US, and we had to work our freedom out at
the rate of % cents day. and under the laws
of the island we agreed to the contract the first
day We worked-as gong to work with our own
free will signifies that we wero willing TO work
for the planters for our passage to the islands.
WELL we made a hard kick against such treat
ment, but there was no help for it, IS the plan
tation was guarded by a company of native
soldiers, who were only too willing to shoot
white slave VINO attempted to escape.
"When we refused to work were placed in
the stocks and whipped until the blood streamed
off our backs. When man wanted to lay off
because of sickness plantation doctor was
called IN, and ii the doctor said he was not sick
the fellow was either whipped killed. have
known them to take man out and shoot him
because ne could not work. man was taken
violently sick one day, but the doctor said he
was all right, and the overseer made MIN go
the field He struggled along until about noon.
when he dropped down dead. We
were worked ten hours day, and set of
men were ever worked harder in the world The
work on a sugar plantation is never ended, and
there are but few men that can hold it up many
years. Out of the fourteen shat went there
with me, there are but few who lived through
their slavery days. After had been there three
years thought my time up. but l had q
surprise in store for in the shape
of bill the company had against
me for eating sugar and playing sick.
The overseer had charged with every
mouthful of sugarcaue / ever ate, and it took
Just two years more to work it ont at the rate of
two bits day. | never ate any more sugar
cane, and, as good luck would have it, was not
sick. 1t took me Just five years and few weeks to
work out, and if ] had to tell you what suffered
during that time you would wonder that 1 am
alive to day. People might live in Honolulu a
slave system that is being carried on in the Sand
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